Stinson L-13

L-13 Grasshopper

Note the windows in the roof giving excellent field of vision
Role	Observation and Utility Aircraft
Manufacturer	Stinson Aircraft Company
First flight	1945
Introduction	1947
Primary users	United States Air Force United States Army
Number built	302

The Stinson L-13 (sometimes known as the Grasshopper, like other aircraft of its type) was a US military utility aircraft first flown in 1945. Developed when Stinson was a subsidiary of Consolidated Vultee, rights to it were not included in the 1948 sale of Stinson to Piper. Mass production was therefore undertaken by Convair, which built some 300 of them.

It was a conventional high-wing tailwheel monoplane used for observation, liaison, and air ambulance duties. Following their military service, some were converted for civil bush flying use, fitting a radial engine by Acme Aircraft Company as the Centaur, while others underwent similar conversions by Caribbean Traders Inc, as the Husky.^[1]

Variants

XL-13: Prototype aircraft, powered by 245 hp (183 kW) Franklin O-425-6 engine. Two built.^[2]
L-13A: Production aircraft, powered by 250 hp (187 kW) O-425-9 engine. 300 built.^[2]
L-13B: Conversion of L-13A for cold weather operation, capable of operating from wheels, skis or floats. 28 converted.^[3]^[4]
Acme Centaur 101: Conversion of L-13 as six-seat bush aircraft. Powered by 300 hp (224 kW) Lycoming R-680-E3.^[1]
Acme Centaur 102: Similar to Acme Centaur 101, with Jacobs R-755-A2 radial.^[1]

L-13A converted to Caribbean Traders Husky III standard with a 450 h.p. Wright R-975 engine

Caribbean Traders Husky I: Civil conversion of L-13A. Retained O-425 engine.^[1]^[5]
Caribbean Traders Husky II: Civil conversion of L-13A. Powered by 300 hp R-680-13 engine on modified engine mount capable of swinging out for easy maintenance.^[1]^[5]
Caribbean Traders Husky III: Similar to Husky II, but powered by 450 hp (338 kW) Wright R-975-7 radial engine.^[1]^[5]

Operators

United States

United States Air Force
United States Army received 43 ex-Air Force L-13As following the outbreak of the Korean War, serving in the Continental United States to free up aircraft for active service overseas.^[6]

Specifications (L-13A)

Data from General Dynamics Aircraft and their Predecessors ^[7]

General characteristics

Crew: one
Capacity: two passengers
Length: 31 ft 9 in (9.68 m)
Wingspan: 40 ft 5½ in (12.33 m)
Height: 8 ft 5 in (2.57 m)
Wing area: 270 sq ft (25.1 m²)
Empty weight: 2,070 lb (941 kg)
Loaded weight: 3,185lb (1,448 kg)
Powerplant: 1 × Franklin O-425-9 air-cooled flat-six piston engine, 250 hp (187 kW)

Performance

Maximum speed: 115 mph (100 knots, 185 km/h)
Cruise speed: 92 mph (80 knots, 148 km/h)
Range: 368 miles (320 nmi, 592 km)
Service ceiling: 15,000 ft (4,570 m)
Rate of climb: 830 ft/min (4.2 m/s)

Notes

1 2 3 4 5 6 Wegg 1990, pp. 180-181.
1 2 Wegg 1990, p.180.
↑ Harding 1990, p.92.
↑ Swanborough and Bowers 1963, p.489.
1 2 3 Flight 9 September 1955, p.466.
↑ Harding 1990, pp. 91-92.
↑ Wegg 1990, p.182.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Stinson L-13.

"Convair Conversion." Flight, 9 September 1955, p. 466.
"Plane With Folding Wings Can Be Towed Like A Glider" , March 1947, Popular Mechanics rare photos of L-13 folded for towing by jeep
Harding, Stephen. U.S. Army Aircraft Since 1947. Shrewsbury, UK:Airlife, 1990. ISBN 1-85310-102-8.
Swanborough, F.G. and Bowers, Peter M. United States Military Aircraft since 1909. London:Putnam, 1963.
Wegg, John. General Dynamics Aircraft and their Predecessors. London:Putnam, 1990. ISBN 0-85177-833-X.

Aircraft produced by Stinson Aircraft Corporation

Civil designations	SB-1 SM-1 SM-2 SM-6 SM-6000 Model A Model O Model R Model S Model SR Model U Model W Model 10 Model 74 Model 105 Model 108

Military designation	AT-19 C-81 C-91 CQ-2 L-1 L-5 L-9 L-12 L-13 O-49 O-54 O-62 U-19

Names	Airliner Detroiter Reliant Sentinel Vigilant Voyager

Convair and General Dynamics aircraft

Manufacturer designations	(numbering continued from Vultee): 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 108 109 110 112 115 116 117 118 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8/8-24 9 11 21 22 23 24 27 30 31 48 240 300 340 440 540 580 600 640

Bombers	B-36 XA-44 XB-46 XB-53 B-58 YB-60

Fighters and attack aircraft	XP-81 XF-92 F-102 F-106 XFY F2Y Charger

Civilian transports	37 58-9 110 240 300 340 440 540 580 600 640 880 990 5800

Military transports	XC-99 C-131 R3Y R4Y T-29

Experimental aircraft	Kingfish NB-36H X-6

General Dynamics	F-111 F-111B F-111C F-111K EF-111A F-16 F-16XL F-16 VISTA Model 1600 RB-57F

USAAF/USAF liaison aircraft

L-1 L-2 L-3 L-4 L-5 L-6 L-7 L-8 L-9 L-10 L-11 L-12 L-13 L-14 L-15 L-16 L-17 L-18 L-19 L-20 L-21 L-22 L-23 L-24 L-25 L-26 L-27 L-28

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